Becoming Jorach's Disciple

After teasing the little girl, Liam turned to Duke Jorach, seated in the place of honor, and bowed respectfully. "We came here knowing that the Assassin League only accepted people of exceptional ability. As luck would have it, we're both extraordinary."

Liam's smug expression made the little girl laugh again, and stoked everyone's curiosity—including Wilton's. They all looked to Liam, waiting for him to continue.

Liam looked at Wilton beside him, utterly speechless. Isn't my brother ruining my big moment with that expression? Anyone who didn't know better would think I was no good at bragging, and even my own people couldn't stand to hear it...

Annoyed, Liam pointed straight at Wilton. "You. Show them something." His imperious manner made the heir of the Barov Family look like one of his lackeys.

Wilton didn't mind Liam's attitude. He just hadn't expected Liam to have no desire at all to keep his abilities secret. The way Liam told him to show them off was so casual, he might as well have been a circus ringmaster eager for the whole world to know.

But it was no surprise Wilton thought that way. He didn't know the Assassin League as well as Liam did, nor did he understand Liam's true abilities. So he naturally assumed, because of Liam's "deliberate effort to win him over," that the little he knew about his own abilities was a trump card Liam wanted kept hidden.

Their earlier conversation had also shown that the grinning man across from him wasn't a fool. Since Liam had asked, Wilton was happy to oblige. After all, Liam had given him his ability; he couldn't just treat it as his own and selfishly hoard it.

Besides, he could tell Liam wanted to bring him along to study under a powerful teacher. If that worked out, what he learned would become a true strength of his own—and that was exactly what Wilton wanted.

It sounded like a long time, but in truth Wilton's thoughts turned only for an instant before he stepped forward.

As he took that step, light and shadow rippled across his body, blurring his form. When he solidified again, he had changed completely. Everyone present turned to look at Duke Jorach, seated in the place of honor.

Wilton had transformed into Duke Jorach. His clothes and appearance were identical in every detail!

While the young man and the little girl were still in shock, Duke Jorach flashed behind his "other self" and placed a hand on Wilton's shoulder.

"There's no magical fluctuation. It isn't a potion or some gnomish technological device. This is the power of the flesh itself. This transformation ability... it's practically perfect!"

As he spoke, Duke Jorach shook his head with some regret.

"Unfortunately, your skills are too poor, and you don't know the first thing about technique. The form you take is all appearance and no substance. If your target were a mage, the lack of any magical fluctuation would give you away immediately. This sort of trick can only fool the careless."

Though he claimed the ability was nearly useless, the gleam in Duke Jorach's eyes made it clear how much he admired Wilton's talent. It only made him more curious about Liam's abilities.

If even his follower had such a remarkable power, Liam, the leader, had to be even more extraordinary.

Duke Jorach turned to Liam, his meaning clear: "That little trick of his isn't enough. What can you show me?"

Liam saw that the old man was trying to drive up the price, but what he said next left everyone in the room stunned. They couldn't help admiring his shamelessness.

"Me? I'm planning to use the back door. I know Lady Garona."

Liam delivered this ridiculous line with the same smug expression. Though an epic-level rogue like her doesn't know me...

His talk of using the back door was just a joke. Liam knew he couldn't join an organization like the Assassin League just by relying on his relationship with one person.

What he really wanted to demonstrate was his "intelligence-gathering ability," which surpassed everyone else's and could rival the entire Assassin League in major events, along with his "foresight," which far exceeded theirs.

That was the greatest advantage he could rely on right now—one that even surpassed what the Hearthstone Deck could offer him, with its own limitations holding it back.

Sooner or later, he would reveal some of this "ability" in front of others. There was nothing wrong with letting this equally mysterious old monster know a little now. It would also make it easier to earn people's trust later.

"You say... you know Garona? Even the Assassin League can't find her. Where did you meet her?"

Duke Jorach's voice carried a note of urgency. He clearly cared a great deal about Garona's whereabouts.

But Liam keenly sensed something unusual from the young man nearby. At the mention of "Garona," the young man's brows furrowed slightly, and a murderous aura flashed across him before vanishing. He clearly had history with Garona, too.

Liam could sense it, and Duke Jorach was no exception. The duke turned to the young man at once. "You know what happened in the past. None of it was Lady Garona's fault."

"Don't worry. That knife was only a pitiful tool. I'll find the hand that held it and cut it off myself!" Hatred seeped into the young man's voice. He was nothing like the calm, composed man he had been since Liam and the others entered.

Jorach shook his head with a wry smile. The young man might say that, but he still harbored hatred for Garona. He was setting the matter aside out of respect for Jorach, but if anything happened, he certainly wouldn't step in to help.

"But that's enough. Lady Garona chose to live in seclusion for a reason. We shouldn't disturb her." Jorach had thought it through and signaled that he had no objection. Liam could go on.

"She's living in seclusion in Duskwood, keeping to the shadows as she protects her son."

Liam's words made Jorach pause again. He turned once more to the young man.

"Our intelligence says that Meryl Winterstorm is the only A-class target living in seclusion in Duskwood. He does have a half-blood child with him, though. Based on the information we have, that must be Garona's son."

The moment the young man spoke, Liam confirmed his guess. The man really was the leader of the "Stormwind Assassins"—or rather, SI:7—the Alliance's top spymaster, Matthias Shaw!